Shy Bird

Moth Season 2009

This beautiful moth hung out for a day or two; a rare non-striped moth at this particular moment in time in our kitchen. The striped moths abound like mad!

Spring is Coming

It was in the high 80s yesterday and today...a wee bit warm for some of us, especially as it's still only February. Nonetheless, I am happy to see plants beginning to bloom. These are the yuccas by the front patio; each day the blooms grow a little higher.

Spring Visitors Continued

One of the aforementioned house (or other) finches


And another


And then that first one again. Did I mention that I love them? They have the most beautiful song...

Spring Visitors

Late winter / early spring visitors abound: lesser goldfinches (as pictured here); American goldfinches, which have been here for a while but are now getting on their spring outfits; tons of our usual house finches, as well as the other ones which I think are maybe Cassin's or purple; dark-eyed juncos; some town birds, as I call them (which are the little black-chinned sparrows that we have never seen out here before); and the other regulars: cardinals (flocking together because it is, or has been, winter), titmice, chickadees, and, though not at the feeders, Woodie, whom we hear calling from his tree. And we await the arrival of the Scott's orioles with eagerness!

Moth, Dead

Found in the kitchen cupboard in a small glass bowl. We have tons of these guys around lately.


Its head


Antenna

Squirrel Leaping

Jump, Mary, Jump! —Jane Langton

Happy Valentine's Day!

Press Conference

Fireside Cat

Finch

The only bright things today are the birds; it is gray, gray, gray outside...

Snowy England: February 2009, Part III

So I got back Wednesday evening from 12 days in England. It was meant to be 10, but family troubles delayed the trip back, which turned out to be rather fortuitous weatherwise; Sunday, the day I'd originally planned to head to London from the country, was the day it began to snow. This is the most snow England has seen since 18 years ago! It was absolutely gorgeous and I got out in it every chance I got. I hear it is still on the ground as of today, because temperatures have not risen above freezing. The electricity has gone out twice in my aunt's village, but happily came back on quickly enough. This is the view from her morning room...much different from the last time I was there!

Snowy England: February 2009, Part II

The river


My aunt and I like to think that this is our father blackbird from last July who nested in the hydrangea on the wall


Blackbird tracks outside the back door


The river several days before the snowfall

Snowy England: February 2009, Part I

Departing from Heathrow, February 4th


The garden and the church tower


Looking down toward the Close from the top of a field


The Manor House